Slow-Roasted Aromatic Beef Brisket

by Alex Hollywood

"My grandmother Vanda often cooked brisket which if it is cooked very, very slowly – I’m talking about 4–5 hours – becomes super-tender and really delicious. Leftover brisket is great to mince and use as meatballs or stuffed into veg with rice – it’s very useful and very Cypriot."

– Alex Hollywood

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1x2kg piece of beef brisket, boned and rolled (don’t trim off any fat)
• 1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2tsp ground cloves
• 1/2tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1tsp ready-chopped ginger
• 3tbsp olive oil
• 3 large onions, cut into thick rings
• 500ml beef stock
• 3tbsp tomato puree
• a good glug of red wine
• 1 tbsp clear honey (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6.
2. Mix together the spices on a plate. Rub the beef with a little of the oil and then roll in the spice mix.
3. Place the onion rings in the bottom of a roasting tray, drizzle with the remaining oil then sit the beef on top.
4. Roast in the preheated over for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the beef from the oven and reduce the heat to 140C/Gas mark 1. Add 100ml of stock then cover the beef and tray with foil.
6. Return the beef from the oven and reduce the heat to 140C/Gas mark 1. Add 100ml of stock then cover the beef and tray with the foil.
7. Return to the low oven and slow-roast for 4-5 hours.
8. Check halfway through and if the onions have started to burn, add a quarter of the remaining stock.
9. Once cooked and the meat is tender remove from the oven. Remove the meat from the tray and leave to rest covered with foil.
10. Push the onions to one side of the tray. Add the tomato puree to the tray and stir well, then pour in a good glug of red wine.
11. Simmer before pouring in the remaining stock and sweetening it with honey if needed. Simmer for 2 minutes and then strain the sauce.
12. Serve slices of the beef with a little of the sauce and your favourite potatoes.